Leviathan Series- Part of the Science Mafia
by SteamMaiden
Summary: This is sort of how I envisioned how it would be once Alek and Deryn joined the zoological society.
1. Two long years

"Village." said Bovril from atop Alek's shoulder, rolling the word around.

"Yes." said Alek. "But quite a special one. Are you excited to see Deryn again? It's been almost two years!"

"Yes. I miss her." said Bovril. Alek of late had become very imprest at the creature's ability to form meaningful sentences.

"Me too." said doctor Barlow's loris.

"As am I." said doctor Barlow. "I have had to pay a dog walker to get Tazza his exercise, and it has been most unpleasant."

Alek laughed at this. Dr. Barlow made it seem as though all Deryn mattered to her for was walking the thylacine, but anyone who had paid attention throughout their adventures knew that Deryn was much more than a beast curator to her.

As they walked through the streets of Glasgow's outskirts, Alek saw some of the newspapers being sold in shop windows. The headlines read, ' _Decorated Airman Dylan Sharp Actually Deryn!"_

The news was a bit old of course, but Alek could imagine it would be big news to Deryn's home. When it had been declared legal for women to serve in the air navy, Deryn had surprised him by telling the world her secret. Sure the was a bit of court trouble, but with some help from Dr. Barlow, and a ruling by queen Victoria herself, Deryn had avoided persecution. The Zoological society had given her leave time so she could get her 'disguise' in order.

In the meantime, Alek had worked mainly with Dr. Barlow, learning the ways of darwinists, speaking with politics, and helping the London Zoo with it's technical bits. As of late, Dr. Barlow had gotten divorced to her husband, and had been working herself thin to keep her mind off it.

They were currently walking down a winding dirt lane through farmland that would eventually lead them to the Sharp household. Alek spied a cottage up a hill on their right, and wondered if that was their destination. As the lorises babbled iddly, Alek struck up a conversation with the doctor. "How did you persuade Volger not to come along? Of course I'm glad to be rid of the man, but why is he not with us?"

The lady boffin gave him a sideways glance. "He didn't put up a fight. I don't even think he wanted to go. It was quite odd of him, but I'm sure he had his reasons."

There was something he hadn't expected. Count Volger trusting a darwinist with his custody? "Is he feeling alright? No offence meant, but your a darwinist. Volger doesn't even trust Bovril!"

The doctor shrugged absentmindedly, which Alek though stranger still. Dr. Barlow was always on point and focused. She was instead behaving like an absent minded cage sweeper.

The silence continued until they finally reached a cottage (not the one Alek had spied earlier) that had smoke drifting lazily away from the chimney. When they reached the door, Dr. Barlow composed herself into the sharp minded diplomat Alek knew best before knocking. When the occupants heard the taps there was clanging from inside, and they were then greeted by a plump blond woman with bright blue eyes. "You must be Alek and Dr. Barlow! Come in, come in!" she said in a kind motherly thrum.

Inside there was a living area as you walked in, a kitchen to your right, and a hallway to your left. In the living area, there were was a beat up old sofa, and an overstuffed armchair with a thick wool blanket on top of it. Sitting on the sofa was and elderly woman knitting away a long green scarf. In the kitchen, two women around fifty bustled about, making tea and preparing a meal for fast approaching lunch. The woman had ushered them in called herself Mrs. Sharp, Deryn's mother. She spoke with doctor Barlow in a friendly banter as they went into the kitchen. The old woman on the couch looked up to reveal bright blue eyes as well. "You must be Alek, yes? Deryn has told me all about you! I'm her grandmother. I doubt you want to hear anymore silliness about her family though." she nodded towards a back door. "Deryn's out there. We told her to go get carrots for lunch. Of you pop!"

"Thankyou." Alek said, managing to keep the excitement from his voice.

"Any time dear boy."

Once he was out of the door, Alek ran at a sprint into the farmland. The rolling hills weren't much help though. He tired quickly and slowed to a walk. Once he had reached the base of one such hill, he heard humming from atop it. Surely enough, over it rose a girl in a blue dress with with a bob of bond hair and bright blue eyes. She stopped mid step and looked down at him, a basket in hand. "Alek? Is that you?" she said in disbelief and excitement. "Barking spiders, it is!" she ran down the hill, but her long legs extended to far, and the dress stopped her. She missed the step, and tumbled down the rest of the hill, basket falling out of her grasp. Alek ran forward, and met her at the bottom as she stopped rolling. "BARKING DRESS! BARKING BOOTS!" she yelled.

Though her appearance had changed, this was definitely the same Deryn inside. After helping her to her feet, Alek embraced her with a long hug, and felt how much she had changed. Deryn had small tears forming on the sides of her eyes. "I've missed you soooo much! I wanted to ring that lady boffin's neck so bad for those two years, keeping you so busy we could never see each other! That clart sniffing sneaky beak!"

"I missed you too." said Alek, and he leaned over to give her a light kiss on the cheek.

He stepped back to examine her. Was it just him or had she gotten smaller? His head towered above hers now by several inches. Since she spoke in her regular voice, she seemed unusually high pitched. He noticed that her hair in it's longer state had a natural wave to it. The dress she wore was a bit small for her, as it was stretched rather tight around her bossun.

Bovril looked like he was having a fit. Her kept jabbering nonsense and running under Deryn's lengthened hair. Deryn stroked it's chin thoughtfully. "I missed you to Bovril!" she said.

"Missed you _Mr._ Sharp." it said, copying her lilt.

"Come on and help me pick up these carrots you daft prince! We need 'em for lunch."

"Right." said Alek.

Two years. Two years they had been apart. Deryn had come clean, become an operative of a secret science mafia, and willingly donned a dress. The world truly had gone mad. But it could go as mad as it wanted if Deryn was bay his side.


	2. Fire Breathing Mums

**Disclaimer: I am not Scott Westerfeld, nor do I own any of any of the Leviathan characters. If I did, this would totally be canon.**

It was so good to see Alek again. The zoological society had wanted her to grow into her feminine form instead of a trouser wearing girl in men's clothing, so she had been given two years off. But in that time, Doctor Barlow had kept Alek bussy on politcal excursions so they hadn't been able to see each other. But those two years were up. And he was here. Unfortunately, that meant he had also met her mother. And no good could come of Alek meeting Ma. "How long ago did you get here?" she asked.

"Only a few moments ago. Why do you ask?"

Deryn was impressed. "I'm surprised Ma didn't hold you hostage for longer. When Jaspurt used to come back on leave, she could hold him in the doorway for over an hour of polite conversation."

Her face was dead serious. "Could you take these inside? Ma'd kill me if I came to the table with my dress a dirty."

"Well, we hardly have you getting killed, now can we!"

"Thanks." she said, giving him a quick hug before she started running off towards the barn. In Da's old workshop, she had made her room, since aunt Eloise had moved in & taken her room in the house. It was quite a task running past the vast fields of vegetables in a to small dress, but she managed it without breaking a sweat. Over the next gentle slope, a large green structure appeared. She opened one of the large doors ajar & squeezed through. Past the racks of dripping kale. Past the stacks of grain for the sheep. Past the old & dusty gondola that sent shivers up her spine every time she looked at it. Then there was her door. Inside there was a small room with a twin size bed, a dresser, and a desk with a chair. She pulled a pulled of the dress her mother had bullied onto her & instead put on her old uniform. She had been tailoring it to fit for a while now, but it finally fit perfectly.

Even though she was supposed to wear a dress & oblige the lady boffin's society, she knew how to get out of the obligation. She had an excuse for changing, & guests were over so Ma wouldn't argue. She just had to make sure there was never a time when her & her mother were alone together.

She pinned her air gallantry medal over her heart, & grbed the packed bag she had prepared last night. Inside were a few changes of clothes (all american fashion with trousers & shirts), her sketchbook, & the manual of aeronautics.

She ran back to the house, unhindered by skirts, & did so in half the time. When she entered, she saw everyone was seated for tea, chatting idly. Bovril & Doctor Barlow's loris sat on the back of her empty seat burbling nonsense to one another in various different tongues. "Deryn Sharp!" yelled Bovril.

"Ah, Miss Sharp! Glad you could join us." said the lady boffin.

Deryn sat down beside Alek. "Good to see you too ma'am. You said we would be heading off today?"

"To the point as always, Miss Sharp. Yes we will leaving today, strait from london."

The lady boffin had sent a letter saying that she required 'your assistance with a rather urgent matter.' The letter said that they were to to head to an island of the coast of Africa called Madagascar. She was going to be studying a genetic anomaly among the wildlife there. "We will have a small detour to Italy before we reach the island. I need to pick up a few bits of supplies there."

Ma cleared her throat. "Deryn, shouldn't you be wearing a dress. This zoological society has a dress code, does it not?"

"It's fine Mrs. Sharp. I think in Deryn's case, this atrie could be considered appropriate." said Dr. Barlow, directing the phantom of a smile in Deryn's direction. Deryn promptly directed a very smug simile in the direction of her mother.

Alek & doctor Barlow made merry small talk with the rest of her family, while Deryn stroked Bovril contemplatively. Doctor Barlow's loris muled very loudly at her, & promptly said "Hand head please."

Alek hadn't been kidding in his letters when he said the lorises had gotten smarter. Bovril climbed atop her shoulder obediently as the other loris moved to occupy her lap. As she stroked it's soft brown back she got to wondering. "Dr. Barlow," she asked, "Do you have a name for your loris?"

The lady boffin frowned at her. "No, I don't suppose it do. Do you have any suggestions?"

The time when the lady boffin's loris had modeled the fake mustache was still burned into her memory. "What about _schnauzer_?"

The doctor actually laughed. Once she had recovered, she said, "I think that is an excellent idea!"

" _Schnauzer_!" yelled both lorises.

Deryn could tell that Alek was trying very hard to stifle laughs. The best part was the confused expression on Ma's face. _The advantages of learning german Ma._ she thought.

Nearly a quarter of an hour later, they were off with many pleasantries & well wishing. "You family seems nice." said Alek cheerfully.

"You were wonderful in there!" said Deryn, putting an arm over his shoulder, & noticed how this wasn't so easy anymore. "You didn't miss a beet!"

"Your mother seems to be a little bit much if you don't mind my saying." said Doctor Barlow. Schnauzer looked up from her shoulder. "Een beetje veel." it said.

"Nogal." said Bovril solemnly from atop Alek's head.

When the lady boffin saw Deryn's confused stare, she answered, "Polish I think."


	3. Old Friends (Sort Of)

**Disclaimer: I try not to ship Varlow to hard because Volger is about twice as old as Barlow, but I warn you, there may be nods to it!**

"You what?!" Deryn practically yelled at doctor Barlow. "The _Leviathan_ is only for political missions, not science excursions! My old crew mates still serve on there!"

"This is a political mission Miss Sharp." said doctor Barlow coolly. "This genetic anomaly I'm going to study a spreading disease that has been affecting animals on Madagascar, and if we are not careful, could spread to the mainland. We are sending the _Leviathan_ because Africa has agreed to supply Darwinist powers with supplies to recover from the war if we sent our best to stop this disease. That meant me, my team, and the _Leviathan_. This also means, that as former decorated officer of the _Leviathan_ , Miss Sharp, that you will be a valued crew member of it's decks again. This means, your uniform, medal, and the like. You did pack those yes? The uniform is only for formal occasions, of course."

Deryn sighed disappointedly. She remembered how hard it had been when Alek had found out she was a girl nearly three years ago. And he had been her best friend, not her crew, who she had broke so many laws to serve under. In those two years that she had been given off to grow into her feminine form, she had changed a lot physically. She was still the same soldier inside, but would they see that? "I just… don't want to be looked down at. I'm still the same soldier… a decorated officer at that, but will they be able to remember me for me?"

"If they don't, then you have a solid punch at the ready to jog their memory." said Alek helpfully.

"Mr. Newkirk!" said Bovril.

"Oh no, I had forgotten about him." said Deryn, worried. "We had to share a room for much of our time on the _Leviathan._ He had been a friend too."

"I wouldn't worry about Newkirk. He was a decent fellow willing to see past differences." said Alek.

"I can only pray your right Alek."

They got out of the carriage in front of the London zoo. "Don't tell me we're doing another one of your middle of london pickups again Dr. Barlow. It was hard enough last time."

"I'm afraid so Miss Sharp. I have some very delicate and heavy equipment that must be loaded directly onto the _Leviathan_ to avoid complication."

"Now I wonder why this all seems so familiar." Deryn said incredulously.

"I assume this is stemming from before I came aboard." sermised Alek.

Deryn heard a noise from above. When she looked up, she saw the beautiful shape of the _Leviathan_ gliding in from the north. After so long it drew a tear to her eye. "Miss Sharp, you will be helping the ground crew, while Alek and I gather my equipment and Tazza."

Deryn could only nod, her eyes still on the airbeast. She walked forward into the park in a trance. It was the descending huxleys that broke her gaze. Someone was furiously flag signaling her. L-A-N-D-I-N-G C-R-E-W I-S C-O-M-I-N-G. It was Newkirk. The other was another much to familiar face. Robert Fitzroy. That bum rag of a middie who had gotten kicked off the crew last time they had done this kind of landing. The one who thought he was so much barking better than everyone else because his Da was an ocean navy captain.

When they got to the ground, she issued them a salute, bum rag included. "Mr. Newkirk. Mr. Fitzroy."

Newkirk returned her salute. "Mr-er Miss Sharp."

Fitzroy did nothing of the sort. Newkirk handed her a rope. "The ground crew are going to slide down. After what happened last time, they decided not to trust certain middies with gathering land men."

Fitzroy shot him a poisonous glare. "At least I'm not a god damned imposter!"

That was aimed at her. This is what she had imagined would happen. It was worse in real life. "At least I'm not a barking coward with no common sense like some people!" she shot back.

Newkirk smiled at this. "Mr. Fitzroy is just bitter that a girl beat him at everything airship related."

Fitzroy prodded Deryn with a finger right below her neck. "I'm for damned sure bitter. This lying weasel beat me for a place on the _Leviathan_ that was rightfully mine. She got a medal that should have been mine! Apologize you little b***h!"

Deryn slammed the heel of her boot into his foot. "Oww! Oh you got it in for you now b***h! You'll be sorry!"

He raised his fist, but before he could strike, Deryn punched him in the gut, causing him to double over. When he did so, Deryn slammed her fist down onto his back. His chest then crashed into her raised knee. Newkirk watched with wide eyes. Fitzroy lay doubled over on the ground moaning. "Thanks for that-um..."

"Deryn."

"Thanks for that Deryn. He had it coming."

Newkirk extend a hand. She shook it. Alek was right. Newkirk could look past their differences. "You've changed." he said.

"You don't look so bad either. Got rid of those plooks on your face I see."

Newkirk's face turned red. "Yeah, I guess so… Look, ground crew is sliding down!" He kicked Fitzroy lightly. "Fitzroy, get your rope!"

Fitzroy got up, his eyes seething with anger. "Give me that." he said, snatching his rope from Newkirk's hands.

30 men or so slid down the ropes, each with ropes of their own. They spread out across the park pulling the _Leviathan_ closer to the ground. Deryn felt right at home barking orders to them just she used to. It was not long before Alek and Doctor Barlow returned with a tigeresque pulling a cart of technologies, as well as man she had never wished to see again. Count Volger.

Alek came over first to see Newkirk. "Mr. Newkirk! It's been to long!" he said extending a hand.

Newkirk shook it. "How have things been your princeliness?"

"Please call me Alek, Mr. Newkirk. Br. Barlow has kept me busy, but things have gone well. How are things on the _Leviathan_?"

"Things weren't so easy when Sharp left. We had to take Mr. Fitzroy in her place, and he hasn't been giving me the easiest of times."

Alek put an arm around Deryn. "She was quite the airman."

"Eye. Saved my life more times than I have fingers." said Newkirk.

Deryn noticed that he seemed a little uneasy around them. "Something wrong Newkirk?"

Newkirk shook his head. "Nothing."

He paused. "Actually, there is something. Alek, did you know? About Sharp being a girl?"

Deryn looked at Alek, who she could feel lacked an eloquent answer. "He did." she said. "I didn't tell him, he figured it out with help from Bovril."

Newkirk looked back down. "I knew it. The way you two were always together. It makes sense now. You two… your a coupe aren't you."

"I suppose you could say that. Is there a problem with that Mr. Newkirk?"

He shook his head. "No… it's just a lot to wrap my head around. Makes me feel really stupid I didn't realize you were a girl before."

"You wouldn't be the first." said Alek.

Newkirk laughed half heartedly. "No, I suppose not!"


End file.
